I tend to get very nervous when I haven’t posted in over a week, and if I haven’t posted in over two weeks — case in point — I get a bit frantic in my writing. So if you notice any hyperventilation, nonsense statements, or strange glances towards nonentities, just know that it’s a result of my tiny, tiny neuroses about writing. And by tiny, I mean gargantuan. This is what has kept me away:

Dorm shopping

The thing that annoys me most about shopping for college is that stores like Target always depict dorms as some huge palatial suites in their ads. My dorm is slightly bigger than my bedroom, rolling in at an unimpressive 13’ x 16’ — and that’s being generous. We have built in desks, closets, and dressers, and movable beds — and the killer part? No running water. But I’m not complaining. I have less stuff to buy, which means I can spend more money on making my half of the room look completely swanky (I have already been assured that the other half will contain posters of David Bowie, Aerosmith, and other things that I highly approve of). And my building is so small that, instead of a crowded mass of people, there’s an intimate, and very cool (as I am told) community. Not so bad for one of the biggest public universities in the country, huh?

I am usually not a fan of terribly regimented shopping lists, because there are bargains everywhere, but if you need to shop for college, these are the best places to go for what you need:

• Sheets: Bed Bath & Beyond has a huge collection of sheets with high thread counts (go for 250+) and pretty low prices. And they stock Twin XL!
• Quilts/Comforters: I actually bought mine at Ikea, but you can find these anywhere. Ikea has these things called “quilt covers”, which basically means you buy a quilt ($10 for Twin), and then shove it in the quilt cover (mine was $20) and snap it in place. You also get a pillowcase.
• Furniture: Ikea has a tremendous amount of nice looking furniture, and lots of variety. I know Ikea gets a bad rap for being cheap or notoriously hard to assemble furniture, but I’ve never had a problem with the store. My theme song is, of course, “Ikea” by Jonathan Coulton. And just a tip: the Swedish Apple Cake is delicious!
• Odds and ends: Wal-Mart actually isn’t that bad when you’re shopping for small accessories for your dorm. I got a nice floor lamp for $10. Just make sure you think of the quality before you buy it.
• Kitchen accessories: One of the perks of going to Bed Bath & Beyond or Linens-N-Things is that you always get “20% Off” coupons in the mail, and although they “expire,” they’re always accepted. And Bed Bath & Beyond especially has some great kitchen utensils and pots and pans. If you want the same quality for cheaper, Ikea has a lot of kitchen gadgets and nice but very affordable pots and pans.
• Bathroom accessories: I think you’re on your own here. I don’t really have a bathroom that I can go on and on about (“Would you look at these adorable little cabinets? I mean, how gorgeous are they?”). I don’t really have a kitchen either — I have a mini fridge and a microwave, which UT calls a “microfridge.” Of course, when I hear “microfridge,” the only thing I expect is a tiny excuse for a fridge that will only hold berries and pieces of cheese. I guess I’m not cooking anything this year.

Here’s hoping that I’ll get off my butt and finish writing these, oh, nine drafts that I have stored up. But if I don’t update in the next two weeks, blame it on the Olympics. Just about as addicting as vanilla frosting, which I consume by the gallon.